Kurangani fire tragedy fallout: State to train Forest employees in handling emergencies

Making an announcement under Assembly Rule 110 on the Floor of the Assembly, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the initiative would see an allocation of Rs 2 crore, which will provide for specialised training and rescue equipment for forest personnel.

“Deciduous forests in Tamil Nadu are highly vulnerable to forest fires. Majority of such wildfires are caused by human error. The forest department has been taking steps to prevent such incidents from recurring. Considering the vastness of such vulnerable forests, the state would provide ground staff training to rescue the unfortunate victims and with necessary rescue gear,” Palaniswami said.

Twenty-three of 39 persons – 12 from Erode and Tirupur and 27 from Chennai – who had gone on a trek to Kurangani hills in Theni district, 520 km away from Chennai, had died in the forest fire, in March. The incident sparked an outrage across the state as sections blamed the state of being ill-equipped while the bureaucrats and executive blamed it on the flouting of conditions laid out by the trekking clubs.

The state government also appointed senior IAS official Atulya Misra to probe into the circumstances leading to the death and to submit a report on the same.

A nature friendly environmental and cultural tribal village cum museum would be set up at a cost of Rs 7 crore in the borders of Sathiyamangalam Tiger sanctuary in Erode district. Palaniswami said this would positively impact the livelihood and socio-economic development of the tribal population.

Two sprawling offices – each constructed in an expanse of 70,000-sq-ft would be built at Velachery for the Forest department to serve as the headquarters since the existing facility at Panagal Maligai has run out of space.

Also, 125 new jeeps would be bought at a cost of Rs 12.5 crore to be provided to the forest rangers, he announced.